Sound recording and reproducing apparatus



.. May 1351930.. v w CROLL Y 1,758,559

SOUND RECORDING ANU REPRODUGIDNGAPPARATUS Filed Dec. 8, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor.

May 13, 1930. w. F. CROLL ,5

- I SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8,4927. 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Jfiventon. W1 lLizLm Fmderic'lwmll.

Attorn 42 W May 13, 1930.

w. F. cRpL-L- sounn- RECORDING ANRBEPRODUCING. APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8,.1927

11mm for.

wuum

Frederick.

May 13, 1930. w. F. CROLL SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS 4Sheets-Sheet 4 I Filed Dec. 8, 1927 V FIGJU.

FI -.11. jz Q g A ia i d T H w m m,

I I lm/entan I William Wedertokfroll.

' Hid/65 2559.

Patented May 13, 1930.

masse- WILLIAM FREDERICK CROLL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND SOUND RECORDING ANDREPRODUCING APPARATUS Application filed December 8, 1927, Serial No.238,584, and in Great Britain December 13, 1926.

This invention relates to sound recording I and reproducing apparatus,such for example as gramophones, and provides an attachment adapted tobe fitted to the driving spindle or other moving member of the apparatusto enable it to operate sound records produced on thread, wire, paper,ribbon or like material which is capable of being wound up and unwoundover a supporting member and in contact with a stylus or like device inconnection with a sound box.'

According to one form of this invention a frame or support adapted to beplaced or fitthe reels being preferably mounted rotatably' ted upon astationary portion of the apparatus carries a main spindle provided withmeans by which it may be attached to a driving member of the gramophoneor like apparatus, and

apair of driven spindles on which reels can be fitted. to carry awindingrecord, the reel spindles being driven through pulleys or like gearingwhile the record is fed by separate gearing from one reel to the other.The reel spindles are preferably driven by a band passing over pulleyson the spindles and over a central driving pulley .on an intermediateshaft driven by the main spindle, the drive of these pulleysbeingindependent of the drive of the record which passes over and arounda separate roller on the intermediate shaft, or preferably over thisroller and a second jockey roller which helps to retain the record inplace and to give sufficient grip to effect its drive. The drive for thereelsis frictional,

0rd passes, and the speed of which roller has a definite relation to themotor speed. The gearing between the main spindle and the intermediateshaft is'preferably of bevel type.

The main support of the fitting comprises a light platform with a frameto carry the reel spindles and provided at the centre with abearingthrough which the driving spindle extends, the lower end of thisspindle being notched'or otherwise formed to'engage, for example, .theusual driving spindle of the gramophone, phonograph or dictatingmachine, while the platform is adapted to be clamped on the casing ofthe sound reproducing apparatus under consideration. The fitting is alsoprovided with a rigid support or backing for the record at the point atwhich I the sound reproducing device or stylus bears upon the record asthis travels past the sound box. As applied to an ordinary gramophoneall that would be necessary to utilize the gramophone for the recordingor reproduction of sound by the thread, Wire, ribbon or like woundrecord would be tov support the adapter above the turntable and connectit to the spindle. Or the turntable might be removed if foundpreferable.

By suitable adaptation of the more records could be simultaneously usedto combine, for-example, two or more separately recorded voices orinstruments in a musical or dramatic performance.

The bevelled gearing is so contrived that the drive may be reversed sothat the motor of the gramophone may also be used for wind ing back therecord after use.

In a modification of this apparatus more esspecially for thread recordsone of the bobbins may be mounted directly on the gramophone spindle andthe other bobbin carried by an arm connected by a clamp to thegramophone casing, the said arm also carrying the support over which thethread record passes, the latter being passed between guide pins on thearm. i

In a further modification a friction wheel may be mounted on thegramophone spindle adapted to take into the space between the fittingtwo or flanges of one of the bobbins, and drive the latter by frictionagainst the record thread wound thereon. The two bobbins are mounted oneon each end of acentrally pivoted beam carrying the support over whichthe thread record passes. The beam is pivoted on an arm adapted to beclamped to the gramophone casing wall'or on a plate capable of adcontactwhile the other is maintained out of contact by means of a cam. Thefriction gwheel is mounted on a spindle on which are two running wheels,either of which may be keyed to the spindle to revolve it. These runningwheels contact with the face of the gramophone turntable, the one beingon one side of the axis and the other on the other side of the axis. Oneof these running wheels is intended to be used for rewinding and isfurther than the other from the axis of the turntable.

. Reference being made to the accompany ing drawings Fig. 1 is a sideelevation and Fig. 2 a part elevation of the first described form ofthis invention. Fig. 3 is a plan and" Fig. 4 is a side elevation of amodification in which one of the bobbins is mounted on the gramophonespindle. Fig. 5 is a plan and Fig. 6 a sideelevation of anothermodification in which the bobbins are mounted on a rock ing beam so thateither of them may be driven from a friction wheel mounted on thegramophone spindle. I

Fig. 7 is a plan, Fig. 8 a side elevation and Fig. 9 a front elevationof a modification in which the turntable of the gramophone is utilizedfor driving the bobbins through friction' gearing. Fig. 10 is a detailView of part thereof.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of such an apparatus in which arrangement is madefor simultane- I ous operation of two record threads or strips,

Referring toFi s. 1 and 2 a indicates the gramophone spin 1e and b thegramophone casing, A platform a placed across the easing is clampedthereon by any convenient form of clamps such as ii (I. Mounted on theplatform 0 is a frame 6 of any convenient shape having bearings as at ee for a spindle 7 having means of attachment conventionally shown at gfor connection to the spindle a. A sleeve h keyed on the spindle fcarries two bevelled pinions 21 and a collar j for a striking gear 9'Either of the pinions it may be caused to mesh with the bevelled wheellon a shaft 1 carrying a belt pulley Z and athread or strip feed wheel 1.The belt pulley Z is connected by belt m with two belt pulleys-m m onshafts m m respectively having fixed on them disks m frictionallydriving disks m on sleeves m on which the bobbins a 12.

mediate shaft 1, the receiving bobbin being caused to maintain a tautthread between it and the feed wheel Z and the delivery bobbin by reasonof its rotation in the opposite direction to that. of its spindle,ensuring a tensioned thread between it and the feed wheel l An arm 0 onthe frame 0 carries the sound box r with its stylus 7 bearing on therecord thread where it passes over the support 12. The sound box throatr may be connected by a flexible tube to the gramophone horn (notshown).

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the clamp d has a lug d on which is securedas by set screws d a slotted plated on which is a pin (1 to receive oneof the bobbins n The support 12 is also carried by the plate (1, therecord thread being guided to and from the support 1) by two pairs ofpins 10" p. The other bobbin n is mounted directly on the gramophonespindle a. The screw d in the clamp d serves to adjust the height of thedevice in order that it may be used with gramophones having differentheights of casing.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, a clamp similar to that in Figs. 3 and 4carries a plate d on which is pivoted the rocking arm 8 having near eachend a pin (1 d for reception of the bobbins n M. The arm 8 carries alsothe support for the record thread and uide pins therefor as in Figs. 3and 4. Ont e spindle a of the gramophone is mounted a friction wheel t.The arm sis drawn by a spring t so that'one of the bobbins n* or n isheld in contact with the wheel t. The spring 23 is detachably hooked tothe arm and may be connected to either of two eyes t 17 according to theposition of the arm 8. Friction pads I u u are placed under the bobbins.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 10 '0 represents part of the turntable of agramophone. 'w is a frame supported in any suitable manner from thegramophone casing and having a downwardly projecting leg 20 with 'abear-' ing to for a hollow shaft 10 on which two running wheels '10 ware free to revolve. The shaft '10 is slotted in the neighbourhood ofthe wheels to 'w and keys carried by a pin to within the shaft w projectthrough the slots and are adapted to engage in key ways in either of thewheels w to according to the position ofthe pin w so as to key tionwheel w adapted to enter between the I flanges of either of the bobbinsn n and press against the windings of record thread thereon. The bobbins11. are carried by bell crank levers m pivoted at 00 a2 respectively onthe frame 10. Springs ,aa w tend to draw the bell crank levers m? 90 soas to press the bobbins against the friction wheel A cam 3 pivoted onthe frame w and operated by a knurled knob g isadapted to bear againstthe one or other bell crank lever m m and hold the corresponding bobbinaway from the friction wheel w. The support for the thread is indicatedat 7 It will be understood that the stylus of the reproducer is adaptedto bear on the thread as it passes over the thread support in any of theFigures 3 to 9, in the same manner as shown in Figs. 1 and2,whether thesound reproducer-beof the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or of the typeshown inFig. 9.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 11, the reels (equivalent ton nof Figs. 1 and 2) for giving out and receiving the record respectivelyare each duplicated as shown at n n and the record driving wheel(equivalent to Z of Figs. 1 and 2) is also duplicated as at 12 There aretwo sound reproducers as shown at W. The remainder of thisappa ratus isthe same as has been described with respect to Figs. 1 and 2 and hastherefore been omitted'from this figure.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is 1. In sound reproducing'or recording apparatus thecombination of a sound box and v stylus, means for feeding a recordstrip in contact with said stylus, a holder for said sound box andfeeding means, a device for engaging said feeding means with a rotatingpart of an instrument of. the gramophone type, whereby said feedingmeans are actuated, and means for attaching said holder to saidinstrument, with said actuating device;

in engagement with said rotating part.

2. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination ofasound-box and stylus, means for feeding a record strip .in

theform of a thread in contact with said stylus, aholder for said soundbox and feeding means, a device for engaging said feed ing means with arotating part of an instru:

ment ofthe gramophone type, whereby said feeding means are actuated, andmeans for attaching said holder to said instrument, with said actuatingdevice in engagement 'with said rotating part.

ated, and means for attaching said holder to said instrument, with saidactuating device in engagement with said rotating part.

4. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination of asound box and stylus, means for feeding a record strip in the form of athread in either direction at will,.a holder for said sound box andfeeding cmeans, a device for engaging said feeding means with a rotatingpart of an instrument of the gramopho-ne type, whereby said feedingmeans are actuated, and means for attaching said holder to saidinstrument, with said actuating device in engagement with said rotatingpart.

5. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination of asound box and stylus, means. for feeding a record strip in .contact withsaid stylus, a holder for said sound box and feeding means, a device forengaging said feeding means with a rotating spindle of an instrument ofthe gramophone stylus, means for feedingia record stripin -the form of athread in contactwith said stylus, a holder for said'sound box andfeed-. ing means, a device for engaging said feeding means with arotating spindle of an instrument of the gramaphone type, whereby saidfeeding means are actuated, and means for attaching said holder to saidinstrument, with said actuating 'device'in engagement with said spindle.t

7. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination of asound box and stylus, means for feeding a record strip in v,

contact with said stylus, a holder for said sound box and feeding means,adevice for engaging said feeding means with a rotating turntable of aninstrument of the gramaphone type, whereby said feeding means areactuated, and means-for attaching said-holder to said instrument, withsaid actuating device in 5 engagement with said turntable.

8. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination of asound box and stylus, means for feeding a record strip in eitherdirection at will, a holder for said sound box and feeding means, adevice for engaging 1' said feeding means with a rotating turntable" ofan instrument of the gramophone type,

whereby said feeding means are actuated, and means for attaching saidholder to said iiistrurnent, with said actuating device in engagementwith said turntable.

9. In sound reproducing or recording ap paratus the combination of asound box and stylus, a pair of bobbins for a record strip, means forrotating said bobbins for feeding said record strip in contact with saidstylus,

a holder for said sound box, bobbins and feeding means, a device forengaging said feeding means with a rotating part of an instrument of thegramophone type, whereby said feeding means are actuated to rotate saidbob bins,-means for attaching said holder tosaid instrument, with saidactuating device in engagement with said rotating part, and meansautomatically regulating the relative speeds of the two bobbins as therecord strip is fed from the full one .to the empty one,

10. In sound reproducin or recording apparatus the combination i a soundbox and stylus, a pair of bobbins for a record strip,

means for rotating said bobbins in either diin engagement with saidrotating part, and means automatically regulating the relative speeds ofthe two bobbins as the record strip 1 is fed from the full one to theempty one.

11. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the'combination of asound box and stylus, a pair of bobbins for a record strip, means forrotating either of said bobbins in either direction at will for feedingsaid record strip, a holder for said sound box, bobbins and feedingmeans, a device for engagsaid instrument, with said actuatingdevice inengagement with said turntable. 1

12. In sound reproducing or recording apparatus the combination of asound box and stylus, a pair of bobbins for a record strip,

'm'eans'for rotating either of said bobbins in either direction at willfor feeding said record strip, said means consistin of running wheelsadapted to contact with a rotating turntable of an instrument of thegramophone type, a holder for said sound box, bobbins and feeding meansand means for attaching said holder to said instrument, with saidrunning Wheels 1n contact with said turntable.

with said actuating device in engagement with said rotating part.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

WILLIAM FREDERICK GROLL.

ing said feeding means with a rotating turn- I table of an instrument ofthe gramophone type, whereby said feeding means are actuated and meansfor attaching'said holder to 13. In sound reproducing or recoi dingapparatus the combination of a"plurality of sound boxes and stylus,means for feeding a plurality of record strips in contact with saidstylus, a holder for said sound boxes and feedng means, adevlce forengaglng said feedmg means with a rotating part of an instru- -ment ofthe gramophone type, whereby said feeding means are actuated, and meansfor attachlng sald holder to said instrument,

